Complaint 2225578

2015 KIA OPTIMA • ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING • incident Jul 8, 2026

Crash
No
Fire
Yes
Injuries
0
Deaths
0
Complaint ID
2225578
Make
KIA
Model
OPTIMA
Model Year
2015
Incident Date
Jul 8, 2026
Date Received
Jul 14, 2026
Data As Of
Sep 1, 2026

Complaint Summary

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

Owner Narrative

The contact owned a 2015 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while driving to the residence, the vehicle caught on fire. The contact stated that while at a traffic light, the vehicle suddenly shut off. After exiting the vehicle, the hood was opened, and there was smoke coming from the engine compartment. The contact called an independent mechanic and, within two minutes, became aware of the fire. The contact called 911 for the Emergency Services. The Fire Department arrived and extinguished the fire. There was no injury sustained. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was previously taken to an unknown local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the engine was leaking with a blown head gasket. The engine was replaced. The vehicle was towed from the scene and was deemed a total loss by the insurance company. The manufacturer was contacted and opened a case. The failure mileage was approximately 212,000.

Owner-submitted narrative on file with NHTSA. Complaint narratives are self-reported and have not been verified.